Thousands flee as Bali’s volcano Mount Agung spews plumes of ash

Thousands have fled from the Indonesian island of Bali as the erupting volcano Mount Agung sent smoke and ash into the air over the weekend.

The emissions are the second this week alone, sparking warnings from experts that another, more powerful eruption is imminent.

The volcano first erupted on Tuesday, sending clouds of ash as high as 13,000ft (4000m) above the summit and bathing the mountain in an orange glow.

The eruptions have wrecked havoc on airlines flying to and from the resort island, where many are flocking to for summer holidays.

Airlines were issued a ‘red warning’ over the danger of flying through the ash clouds, the BBC reports.

Mount Agung last erupted in 1963, killing over 1,600 people, and has been threatening another major eruption since August.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, an area of tectonic plates that frequently collide, causing seismic and volcanic activity.

An exclusion zone of 7.5km (4.5 miles) remains in place for those near the volcano, with authorities distributing masks to those in close proximity to smoke.

Major evacuations saw more than 120,000 residents forced to flee their homes in September, when Mount Agung showed signs of erupting.

While many have since returned, more than 25,000 people remain evacuated in over 200 temporary shelters.

Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency tweeted that an ash column from Mount Agung coated a nearby village in a thin layer of ash on Saturday.

Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said ash clouds were moving away from the international airport, which remained open, The Guardian reported.

Authorities maintain the resort island remained safe, despite several airlines cancelling flights over safety concerns.

Bali is a popular tourist destination for many in the region, with thousands traveling to the island for end of year celebrations.

UM– USEKE.RW